PetMassage Licensed Instructor’s Program Your PetMassage

By Jonathan Rudinger | February 27, 2014 |

Licensed Instructor credential opens doors to opportunities that will truly manifest your dreams. It is immensely gratifying to see your work visibly contribute to the enhancement of the lives of your students, the thousands of dogs they touch, the lives of the pets’ people, and your entire community.

This is our vision:
PetMassageTM uses its experience and standing as a pioneer and leader in the canine massage and bodywork field to provide thorough training,  licensing and guidance for PetMassageTM instructors to operate their own individually unique PetMassageTM schools.

The second part of our vision:
We create an actively supportive community of Licensed PetMassageTM instructors. PetMassageTM instructors will work together, coordinating their efforts, encouraging each other, and meeting together for annual conferences. Your own success will be optimized as you help each other learn, and evolve.

The third part of our vision:
You have joined us as a PetMassageTM Licensed Instructor.

What’s involved in training?

The prerequisites for entering into the program for licensure are completion of the PetMassageTM for Dogs Foundation Workshop and Advanced PetMassageTM for Dogs Workshop. 

Foundation Refresher.  

For the first part of your Instructor Training, you take the Foundation hands-on workshop a second time. You’ll hear content you missed the first time around. You’ll also be observing how the PetMassageTM workshop is managed, how information is revealed, and how students interpret what is taught.

Student teach.  

In the very next PetMassageTM Foundation workshop that is offered at the Institute you will have the experience of co-leading the workshop, using PetMassageTM techniques, standards, and practices. Your training includes content review, daily critique, and sharing of proprietary PetMassageTM Instructor’s content.

That’s the training: after the Foundation and Advanced Workshops, you repeat the Foundation workshop and Co-teach a Foundation workshop. The instructor training is completed  within two or three months, depending on our workshop schedule.  Then, we work with you to develop your school. The track is fast and the cost to licensure is very reasonable.  If this resonates with you, call  or email for a prospectus

A’s Affirmation: I love being a great example for others to follow. 

Energy ball corrects imbalances 

In a recent email, I was asked about what I could suggest for a dog with sudden onset vestibular disease. The pet owner has been “searching for holds, pressure points, meridians, mudras” – anything that might assist in relieving her dog from this horrible condition. 

When I did an online search for this I was led to http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/animal-health/vestibular-disease-in-dogs/856 

“What causes vestibular disease?

“Causes of vestibular disease include middle or inner ear infections, drugs that are toxic to the ear, trauma or injury, tumors and hypothyroidism. When no specific diagnosis is found, the condition will be called idiopathic vestibular syndrome. These cases are distinguished by the sudden onset of clinical signs and the subsequent rapid improvement with little, if any, medical intervention” 

So, I believe there is hope. 

From the way she phrased her question, I surmised that she knew how to make a radiant energy ball in her hands. You probably do, as well. The use of the energy ball can be effective over any area of imbalance. 

Create one of these balls and then hold your palms over your own ears to make sure that you are feeling heat. Then, bring your hands to the sensitive area. Pulse your hands slowly to the sides of the area and away from it. The variations of heat and energy from your palms may help initiate the restoration of balance within the connective tissues. If your dog becomes a little agitated while you are pulsing your hands, that’s okay. It just means that something is moving.

 

Energy ball corrects imbalances

By Jonathan Rudinger | February 20, 2014 |

In a recent email, I was asked about what I could suggest for a dog with sudden onset vestibular disease. The pet owner has been “searching for holds, pressure points, meridians, mudras” – anything that might assist in relieving her dog from this horrible condition.

When I did an online search for this I was led to http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/animal-health/vestibular-disease-in-dogs/856
“What causes vestibular disease? “Causes of vestibular disease include middle or inner ear infections, drugs that are toxic to the ear, trauma or injury, tumors and hypothyroidism. When no specific diagnosis is found, the condition will be called idiopathic vestibular syndrome. These cases are distinguished by the sudden onset of clinical signs and the subsequent rapid improvement with little, if any, medical intervention”

So, I believe there is hope.

From the way she phrased her question, I surmised that she knew how to make a radiant energy ball in her hands. You probably do, as well. The use of the energy ball can be effective over any area of imbalance.

Create one of these balls and then hold your palms over your own ears to make sure that you are feeling heat. Then, bring your hands to the sensitive area. Pulse your hands slowly to the sides of the area and away from it. The variations of heat and energy from your palms may help initiate the restoration of balance within the connective tissues. If your dog becomes a little agitated while you are pulsing your hands, that’s okay. It just means that something is moving.

Reflexology points

By Jonathan Rudinger | February 12, 2014 |

The body not only refers pain, it refers treatment, too. Your dog has several sets of referral points all over his body. These are reflexology points that reference organs and systems and regions. One of the sets of reflexology points is on your dog’s ears.

As you palpate your dog’s ear, you’ll notice variations of textures within the skin. These can be described in terms such as denseness, softness, bumpiness, fullness, emptiness, dampness, dryness, noteworthy and un-noteworthy. You are noticing reflexology points. The whole body has reflexive responses, like your patellar reflex, the sudden kicking movement of your lower leg in response to a sharp tap on your patellar tendon. A stimulation of one point on the body – in this case, the ear – will illicit a strong reflexive response in another area of the body.

How does a stimulation on the ear get to the hip, the toes, the bowels, or the eyes? How can we define the pathways of these long distance reactions, i.e., from ear to hip? In Western med. we’d describe them in terms of myotomes, dermatomes, or neural pathways. Applications of pressure to specific points on the ears send calming messages from the peripheral nerves in these extremities to the central nervous system, which in turn signals the body to adjust the tension level; reducing imbalance. [Ref.: http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/reflexology/how-does-reflexology-work ] In Eastern med. we’d call them meridians for movement of chi, or “vital energy.”

When you massage a point on your dog’s ear, the message – and the massage – somehow gets somewhere else. The ear has been mapped so you can learn to message/massage designated areas. The messages, from the points on the inside and edges of the ear, are to restore balance and vitality. So, let’s imagine that your dog needs work around the base of his tail; however, his intense guarding of the area makes actually touching him there, impractical from the perspective of maintaining your personal safety. Now, you can direct activities in his croup from a distance! 

If you are unclear about which points connect to which areas trust your intuition to guide you. Work the entire ear from base to tip, front to back, inside and out. Apply pressure with your fingers and thumbs. Work slowly and methodically. Squeeze, notice, and release. Breathe: inhale, exhale. Allow the unseen and unknown to move in their mysterious ways. The responses that are best for your dog will happen where they are needed.

Effects of Hair Matting on Movement and Cirulation

By PetMassage | February 9, 2014 |

Full Title: Effects of Hair Matting on Movement and Cirulation

Author: Sue Wajvoda

Date of Publication: February 9, 2014

PDF: http://petmassage.com/wp-content/uploads/Effects-of-Hair-Matting-on-Movement-and-Circulation-by-Sue-Wajvoda-2014-02-09.pdf

Research Paper Text:

“Matting” refers to densely tangled clumps of fur in a pet’s coat. If a coat is not properly and/or frequently brushed, loose and live hair become embedded in large masses. Sometimes “mats” can be combed out, but if left too long, it is impossible without seriously harming the animal. Mats can form in both the outer coat as well as the deeper undercoat. Sometimes severe mats form in the undercoat and are unnoticeable because of a heavy outer coat. If left completely unattended, a pet’s fur can become entirely matted to such an extent that the only recourse is to shave the entire coat. (Matting: The Truth & Consequences)

Severe matting can be extremely painful to an animal. Even mild matting can cause your pet a significant amount of pain. Matting can deny regular air circulation to the skin and be so severe that it can cut off the blood supply to the extremities. Preventing regular air circulation to the skin can cause the skin to become red and irritated creating open sores and infection.

Heavy matting can be even more of a problem. Matted hair can hold tears, feces and urine next to the skin. This can cause irritation, pain and potential skin infection. If left for a long time this can cause hyper-pigmentation (darkening of the skin) and/or hyperkeratosis (elephant skin). Heavily matted hair can change a dog’s movement, cut off circulation, or hide infected wounds. In an extreme case, matting can tighten around a dog’s leg or tail, slowly constricting until it has cut through to the bone! (Clinic, 2011)

Source: http://www.peta.org/wpcontent/uploads/2015/07/1402Bexhill-Road-Chesapeake602x339.jpg

Depending on the severity of the matting and where the animal is in the healing process, PetMassage™ can assist by increasing blood and lymphatic circulation throughout the tissue. Specifically, skin rolling around the affected area. In addition, shaking, rocking and positional release can be used to help with mobilizing the pet if movement has been hindered as a result of matting. PetMassage™ positional release offers a wide range of benefits including the noticeable decrease in muscle tension, increased range of motion and reduction in pain in the soft tissue. (Rudinger, 2012)

Incorporating PetMassage™ into the healing process for a dog that has suffered from moderate to severe matting with help speed healing of the area and also allow the dog to heal emotionally from a potentially traumatic experience.

WORKS CITED

Where to focus your dog’s bodywork

By Jonathan Rudinger | February 7, 2014 |

If the dog’s left shoulder is showing restriction, it is not enough to focus bodywork solely on the left shoulder. The left shoulder has now become one of the stressors for the rest of the body. So, the rest of the body must compensate for the load the left shoulder is unable to bear. It clearly requires its own attention and rebalancing.

There is only so much we see and feel. Imagine what else might be connected in the body to the left shoulder! The possibilities of strain, discomfort, impaired circulation and nerve restrictions are all over. They are deep to it, superficial to it, above it, below it, next to it, across from it, and, hold on now, referred by it.

Even with the presentation of an obvious left shoulder issue, your dog still needs a full body PetMassage.

If you have limited time and are unable to take your dog through the entire routine, make sure that you begin and end each session with the PetMassage 6 vectors taught in the Foundation workshop. This will, because of what you are doing on the outside, help your dog rebalance his body from within.

 

The dog here and now

By Jonathan Rudinger | January 30, 2014 |

Dogs cannot tell us where it hurts, what the trauma was, and when it happened. Their physical and behavioral issues usually have unknown or forgotten origins.
Pain and stress travel via vectors of the body, referring stiffness, tenderness, temperature variations, and variations of circulation. We can watch the shades of tongue color, for example, to see how the body chi, and cardiovascular circulation, is moving (more about this in next week’s Helpful Hint).

Stressors must originate somewhere. There must have been some causal origin. For an issue to be symptomatic enough for us to recognize that something is going on, it must be pretty well developed. The question is, where do we focus our PetMassage? Is it on the area that cries out for help, or someplace twice hidden. We could get caught up in the what, how, where, and why questions; or, we can see these as limiting, and move beyond them.

If each part of the body affects and is affected by every other part of the body, then, with a full body PetMassage, we know that the dog’s body is completely stimulated. With all our “bases” covered, we can be confident that the appropriate movement has been initiated toward even the most reclusive permutation of pathway. The areas that need connection and balance get what they deserve. No turn is left unstoned.

The simple directive of PetMassage is to assist the dog to create the best for himself out of what is going on in his body, here and now.

Stakeholders

By Jonathan Rudinger | January 28, 2014 |

A stakeholder is a person or group that has a vested interest (investment, share, or interest) in something, as a business or industry. So, who stands to benefit from your continuing and prolific practice of PetMassage?

Choose one:

dogs (during all stages of their lives)

dogs families, dogs home environments

children with dogs

vets

vet techs

dog trainers

dog handlers

foster-dog parents

rescue and shelter workers

law enforcement and military canine corps trainers and dog daycare handlers

dog walkers

dog groomers

dog sitters

neighborhoods with dogs

society at large

the planet Earth

the Milky Way

all of the above.

Buddha smile

By Jonathan Rudinger | January 28, 2014 |

Put a Buddha smile on your face as you do your PetMassage. In the Buddha smile, your lips are lightly closed with the corners turned up slightly; tip of the tongue just touching the roof of your mouth. Inhale and exhale slowly and evenly through your nose. This softens the fascia in your face as well as increases circulation to your nose, eyes and ears. As you massage, imagine the inscrutable expression on your dog, too.

Wait wait

By Jonathan Rudinger | January 28, 2014 |

One of our favorite radio shows is on NPR. “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” airs on Saturdays and repeats on Sundays. It is a very funny show: witty, smart, sarcastic, ironic, and sometimes misguided. Last weekend we listened to two of the comics reference dog massage, suggesting that it was fluff and buff, and an extravagance of wealthy dog owners. While it was wonderful to have our industry recognized and significant enough to be the topic of discussion, the tone and perspective of the comments, from people who are not dog-people, reminds us that we still have a job to do. We need to educate the public about the benefits and the critical need for canine massage. For those of you who contacted us about the show, we can only say that the comics were doing the best they could given their karma and their life experiences. They were also straining to say something that might be humorous.

Rock your intention to become more secure

By Jonathan Rudinger | January 28, 2014 |

Each time you rock back into your heels, use your intention to power up. With you r inhalation, visualize the energy of the earth, Gaia, moving up into the soles of your feet (your “understandings” –nod of acknowledgement and appreciation to Louise Hay for noting the connection). To ground yourself and redirect energy from the dog back to where it can be discharged, on the exhale, visualize the flow of energy moving down and out your heels. The conscious relationship and connection to the power of the planet will shift your living experience and awareness of the Qi in all living things. 

FYI (Source Wikipedia) Gaia (pron.: /ˈɡ.ə/ or /ˈɡ.ə/; from Ancient Greek Γαῖα, a poetical form of Γῆ, “land” or “earth”;[ also Gaea, or Ge) was the goddess or personification of Earth in ancient Greek religion one of the Greek primordial deities. Gaia was the great mother of all: the heavenly gods, the Titans and the Giants were born from her union with Uranus (the sky), while the sea-gods were born from her union with Pontus (the sea).